Folding mechanism



2 SHEETS-SHEET l- Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

\ l I l l I I l I l I I l I ll Elttommg 8.

UN iTED ST'A'LES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK M. aosnm, or AMSTERDAM, NEW- YORK, ASSIGNOR r0 INMAN-MANUFA0- TUBING COMPANY, me, or AMSTERDAM, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

FOLDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented Dec. 13,- 1921.

Application filed March 29, 1920. Serial No. 369,491.

To all whom it may concern Be-it known that I, FRANK M. J OSLIN, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Amsterdam, Montgomery county, New York State, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for making boxes such as match boxes and the like and it is concerned particularly with a mechanism adaptedto fold the edges of the material in the formation of such boxes.

The invention contemplates certain detailed improvements over the construction shown in my prior Patent No. 1,356,7 71 issued October 26, 1920.

More specifically the present invention aims to simplify and improve the construction of my said prior patent by providing a plunger and die mechanism in which both of the plates for folding the edges of the box are carried upon a single member of the plunger and in which the die member is provided with means for guiding the movable die plate during'its movements and with improved means for mounting the spring for actuating the movable die plate.

The invention is illustrated in one form in the accompanying drawingsin which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the plunger and the die, certain parts being shown in section, the members of the plunger being shown in their separated position;

Fig. 2 is also a view in elevation taken at right angles to that shown in Fig. 1, parts of the die being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 5 illustrating the manner of mounting the folding plates and showing the upper plunger member in a position somewhat in advance of the position illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view'similar to that of Fig. 3, but showing the plunger members in the die and showing the folding plates lying in a recess in one of said members;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a box such as the machine is intended to produce illustrating at one end the material folded into final position and at the other in a partiall folded position.

a fixed part of the machine. Slidably mounted in this die is a plate 11 secured to the upper end of a supporting rod 16 and provided with a guide rod 12 passing through an opening in the bottom of the die, this guide rod serving to guide the movements of theplate 11 in the die. A cylindrical stop member 13 is rigidly mounted in a depres- S1011 10 in the bottom of the die being secured to thedie in any suitable manner as by screw threads 14'. A coiled spring 15 surrounds said cylindrical member 13, and extends into the depression 10' of the die, said spring being intended to bear against the under face of the plate 11 and hold the same 1n a POSltlOIllIl advance of the cylindrical member 13 and adjacent the outer end of the die. The cylindrical member 13 is provided with a bore through which the rod 16 passes, this rod being provided with a head 17 which constitutes means for limiting the extent to which the plate 11 can be moved by the coiled spring 15.

A plunger is provided for cooperating with the die heretofore described, this plunger consisting of two members 18 and 19 which are movable relative to each other and which for convenience may be termed respectively the body member and contact member. The contact member 19 consists of a plate to which is secured a stem 20, this stem extending into suitable openings in the body member 18. Mounted on the stem 20 is a collar 21 to which the folding plates 22, 22 are pivotally secured. At the point of pivotal connection between said collar and said plates springs 23 are mounted, these springs being so arranged as to hold the folding plates yieldingly in the path of movement of the member 18 or against the lower portion of such member. The body member 18 is provided with a suitable recess 2A: in which the folding plates are adapted to lie when the two members of the plunger are brought together. Means are provided for yieldingly holding the members 18 and 19 in separated position, such means com prising a coiled spring 25 surrounding the stem 20 of the member 19 and bearing at one end against a fixed part of the member 18, an abutment 26 being secured to said give said plunger a reciprocating motion toward and from the die.

To briefly outline the operation of the mechanism it will be understood that the plate 11 of the die 10 is normally held by the coiled spring 15 in a position near the outer. end of the die and that the material which; is intended to be folded by the mechanism of the present invention lies in a suitable position above said plate. Upon move ment of the plunger toward the die the member 19, of theplunger contacts with the, material which serves to clamp the same between said member and the plate 11. As the plunger continues to move tow'ard the die the coiled spring 15 is depressed until the plate ll contacts with the cylindrical stop member 13 which prevents further movement serves to maintain the plate 11 in properposition in the die and to guide the same as it is moved relative to the die. "The wall of the recess in the bottom of the die serves to maintain the s rin 15 in re er osition about the stop member 13 and by reason of the depression in the bottom of the die the distance between the plate 11 and the bottom of the die is reduced which construction resultsln rendering the action of the gulde rod 12 more effective. The movement of the plunger thus'far described results in shaping I the-material" into the form shown at A in Fig. 1.

When the movementof the member 19 of the plunger together with its stem 20 has been arrested, as described, the member 18 continues to move toward the die, and during such movement this member contacts with the folding plates 22, 22, which causes movement of said plates about their pivotal connection on the stem 20. .As said plates are caused tormove about their pivot point they contact with the projecting edges of the material and fold the same into the position shown at B inFig. 3. Upon further movement of the member 18 toward the member 19 the plates 22, 22 enter the recess 24 of the v member 18 and as said member continues its movement into the die and toward the mem-v ber 19 it comes in contact with the partially foldededge's of the materialand completely folds the same into the position shown in Fig. 4. Upon the reverse movement of the plunger the member 18 is first withdrawn from the die which permits the folding plates 22, 22, to resume the position shown inFig. 1 and further movement serves to withdraw the plate 19 from the die and permit the contact member in advance of said body member, said body member having a recess at its lower end through which said stem extends, a pair of folding plates pivotally connected to said stem on opposite sides thereof and 'normally'held in yielding engagement with'opposite sides of the front face of said'body member when" said contact 7 member occupies its normal position in front of the body member, said plates being shapedv to enter the recess of said body memberupon relative movement of said body member and contact member. 7 7

2., In a machine of the kind described, a plunger comprising a body member anda contact member, a stem secured to the con of said plate into the die. The guide rod 12 r tact member and slidably engaging the body member, means for ieldingly holding said contact member in ac vance of the body member, said body memberhaving asrecess at its lower end through which said stem extends, a collar secured to said stem, a pair of folding plates pivotally-connected to said collar on opposite sides ofsaid stem and extending outwardly beyond opposite sidesof said body member,'means for 'yieldingly holding said plates in engagement with the front portion of said body member when said'contact member occupies its normal position in front of the body member, said plates being shaped to enter the recessof said body member upon movement of said body member and contact member toward each other, and means for preventing rotation of said stem in saidbody .member, means foryieldingly holding said contact member-in advance of said body member, saidbody member having a recess at its lower end through which said stem extends, a pair of folding plates'pivotally connected to said stem on opposite sides thereof and normally held in yielding engagement with opposite sidesof the front face of the-said body member when said contact-member occupies its normal position in front of the body member, said plates being shaped to enter the recess of said body member upon relativemovement of said body member and contact member, a die into which said plunger is adaptedzto pro ect, a sliding plate arranged 1n sald die, reslhent means acting on said. plate and normally holding the same at the top of said die, a guide rod secured to said plate and extending downwardly through the bottom of said die, stop means in said die for limiting the movement of said sliding plate into the die, the ar rangement being such that when said plunger enters said die said sliding plate is forced against said stop by said contact member and said folding plates are caused to move about their pivot point by the further 10 advance of said body member toward the die.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signatuie.

FRANK M. J OSLIN. 

